Tray construction



F6). 24, 1970 c BESSETT ET AL TRAY CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14. 1968 award H. 5222'??? wv w M BY James (0- Bcya Handle-fun, A/auman, Sea/bald 6* Williams ##arneqs Feb. '24, 1970 c. 555551-1- ET AL 3,497,102

TRAY CONSTBUGT ION Filed Oct. 14. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O M U.S. Cl. 22023.8 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A molded tray for accommodating a plurality of small articles such as cups containing individual servings of jelly, catsup, etc. is provided. The tray includes a plurality of shallow pockets arranged in spaced relation and forming a plurality of parallel rows, and a plurality of upwardly extending posts arranged in spaced relation and forming a plurality of parallel rows; the rows of pockets being alternately disposed with respect to the rows of posts. The periphery of the tray is delimited by a flange and the flange is provided with a plurality of spaced depending solid projections. The projections are disposed between the rows of posts and, when loaded trays are arranged in stacked relation, the projections of one tray are adapted to engage the upper peripheral edges of the articles disposed in the outermost rows of pockets in a second tray positioned immediately therebeneath.

The invention herein is similar to that disclosed in my application, Ser. No. 590,270, filed Oct. 28, 1966, now Patent No. 3,416,695.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various trays of this general type have heretofore been proposed but because of certain design characteristics are beset with one or more shortcomings. For example, the trays are of complex design and, when arranged in nested relation for storage or transporting in bulk, have a tendency to stick together during denesting. Secondly, the trays are incapable of accommodating articles having more than one exterior configuration. Thirdly, the weight of the loaded trays of a stack is concentrated on a few of the articles accommodated in the lower trays with the result that said articles become damaged and/or deformed, making them unsuitable for their intended use. Lastly, when a loaded tray is manually lifted or carried by grasping the peripheral flange, the tray will sag severely causing a large number of articles to become displaced from their pockets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a molded tray which avoids the aforenoted shortcomings of prior structures.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tray which is inexpensive to produce, is versatile in accomodating articles of various configurations, and enables a large number of articles to be stored in a compact and convenient manner.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims,

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention a tray is provided for use in accommodating a plurality of small articles, such as cups containing individual servings of jelly, catsup, or the like. The tray includes a plurality of shallow pockets arranged in spaced relation and forming a plurality of parallel rows and a plurality of spaced upwardly extending posts having substantially flat tops and forming a plurality of parallel rows. The rows of 3,497,102 Patented Feb. 24, 1970 pockets are alternately arranged with respect to the rows of posts. Each pocket is substantially delimited by four posts which are separated from one another by flattened segments, the latter cooperating with one another to define a reference plane. Each of the segments is provided with a solid depending rib which interconnects adjacent pockets. The periphery of the tray is defined by a flange having a plurality of spaced solid projections depending therefrom. Each projection is disposed between the rows of posts and is adapted to engage the rim of an article disposed therebeneath and accommodated in a pocket forming the outer row of pockets of a lower tray, when two loaded trays are arranged in stacked relation.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the drawings wherein:

DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of one form of the improved tray;

FIG. 2 is a view of the improved tray taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the improved tray taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 44 and 5-5, respectively, of FIG. 1 and showing the unloaded tray in each instance arranged in stacked relation with a second unload-ed tray of like configuration; the upper surface of the second tray being outlined in dotted lines;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified form of improved trays arranged in unloaded nested relation;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the tray of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of a stack of loaded trays, the view taken looking in the direction indicated by line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 8 but with the view taken looking in the direction indicated by line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of the lower right hand corner of the tray of FIG. 1 but shown loaded with a plurality of rectangularly-shaped articles;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is like FIG. 10 but showing a modified form of accommodated articles; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 1313 of FIG. 12.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 7, one form of the improved tray 20 is shown which is adapted for use in accommodating and readily handling a plurality of small articles 21 (see FIG. 10) or 21' (see FIG. 12). Each article 21 or 21 is adapted to hold an individual serving of catsup, jelly or the like and comprises a bottom section 22 or 22' formed from a sheet of thin gauge metallic foil or plastic, and a cover section 23 or 23' likewise formed from a sheet of thin gauge metallic foil or plastic. The bottom section may vary in configuration; for example, as in section 22 it may have a substantially square-shaped bottom surface 24, see FIG. 10, which is rounded at the corners, or a circularshaped bottom surface 24 as in the case of section 22, see FIG. 12. In either case the upper open end of the section 22 or 22' is delimited by an outwardly projecting flange 25 or 25'. The outer edge of the flange 25 or 25' is normally folded back under or offset downwardly so as to form a stiffening bead 26 or 26'. The cover section 23 or 23 is bonded or fused to the flange 25 or 25' by suitable adhesive material or by heat or a combination of both so that the contents 27 of the article is sealed against moisture, dirt or the like which would deleteriously affect said contents. The periphery of the cover section or a portion thereof normally extends a slight amount beyond the outer reaches of the flange 25 or 25 so that the cover section may readily be grasped manually to facilitate opening of the article and exposing said contents.

The articles 21 and 21' per se are not deemed novel, but as will hereinafter be described, because of the bottom section flange 25 or 25, the articles serve an important function When the loaded trays 20 are arranged in stacked superposed relation, see FIGS. 8 and 9.

The tray 20 in the illustrated embodiment is preferably formed from molded pulp material and is provided with a plurality of shallow pockets 28 which depend from a plane of reference 30. The pockets 28 are relatively arranged so as to form a plurality of spaced substantially parallel rows. The rows of pockets are separated from one another by spaced substantially parallel rows of posts 31. Each post extends upwardly from the plane of reference a substantially greater amount than said pockets 28 depend from said plane 30. The end posts 31' of a row are disposed adjacent the perimeter of the tray.

Each post 31 is of like construction and includes a substantially flat top surface 32 and an outwardly tapered depending side wall 33. symmetrically arranged portions 33a of the side wall have a concave configuration and are spaced from the perimeter of the adjacent pocket 28 so as to form plateaus 34 which are disposed within the plane of reference 30. Formed on the underside of the post top surface is an elongated solid stiffening rib 35, see FIG. 7. The rib interconnects diametrically opposed side wall portions 33a. The axes of all the ribs are oblique with respect to the axes of the rows of posts. In addition to providing added stiffness for the post, the rib serves to minimize the possibility of the trays sticking together when they are arranged in nested relation, see FIGS. 4 and 5.

It will be noted in FIG. 1 that the adjacent posts 31 in a row are separated from one another by a segment 36 of the plane of reference 30. Formed on the underside of each segment 36 is an elongated solid rib 37 which interconnects opposed portions of adjacent pockets 28. These ribs 37 reenforce the segments 36 and in addition facilitate denesting of the trays when they are in nested relation.

It will be noted in FIG. 7 that the plateaus 34 which are disposed adjacent the periphery of the tray are provided with depending elongated solid reenforcing ribs 38.

Delimiting the periphery of the tray 20 is a continuous flange 40 which is disposed in a plane above the plane of reference 30. If desired, the continuity of flange 40 may be interrupted by one or more recesses which serve as finger holes and facilitate removal of a loaded tray from a ship ping container or the like, not shown.

Depending from the underside of flange 40 are a plurality of symmetrically arranged, depending elongated, solid projections 41. Because of the elevated position of flange 40 with respect to the plane of reference 30, the projections 41 depend a substantially greater amount than ribs 37 and 38 previously described. It will be noted in FIGS. 2 and 3 that the projections 41 and the ribs 37 and 38 terminate at a common plane P, which when the tray is resting on a table top would constitute said common plane. The importance of this structural feature will be discussed more fully hereinafter.

While the ribs and projections have herein been de scribed as solid, it is not essential that they be such, but instead may be shaped or formed in the manner shown in FIG. 6. In the FIG. 6 structure, the exterior surface of the projections or ribs 39 is substantially greater in transverse dimension or width than the corresponding dimension of the crevice or detent 42 formed on the opposite side of the projection. By reason of this dimensional differential, the depending projection or rib of an upper tray will not nest into the crevice 42 formed in the lower tray and thus jamming or sticking between the trays is avoided when the empty trays are arranged in stacked superposed relation.

When the tray 20 is loaded with articles 21, as shown in FIG. 10, the beaded edge 26 of each article rests upon the top surfaces of the posts and end posts surrounding the accommodated article, see FIG. 11. Because of the relative disposition of posts and end posts with respect to an accommodated article, only spaced portions (e.g. corner areas of the flange 25) of the article bottom section 22 are engaged and supported by the posts 31 and 31. As a result, there are substantial segments of the article flange 25 which span the distance between the adjacent posts. When the loaded trays are arranged in stacked superimposed relation, as seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the depending ribs 37 of an upper tray will engage a segment of the flange of an article accommodated in the lower tray, which spans the distance between adjacent posts. In a like manner, the projections 41 of the upper tray engage and rest upon the flange segment of an article accommodated by the lower tray and disposed adjacent to the periphery of the lower tray. Thus, by reason of the engagement between the ribs and projections of the upper tray and the flange segments of the articles accommodated by the lower tray, the load borne by the lower trays is uniformly distributed over the entire tray area and sagging of one or more of the loaded trays and deforming of the accommodated articles are avoided.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show the modified articles 21' which are similar to article 21, except that the shape of the bottom section 22 is substantially the frustum of a cone. The flange 25', which delimits the upper open end of the bottom section 22', does not in the illustrated embodiment project outwardly a sufficient amount so as to rest upon the tops of posts 31 and 31'. However, because of the circular configuration of the surface 24' of article 21, the latter will probably fit within the shallow pocket 28 of the tray and thus, lateral movement of the article, once it is in the pocket, is prevented or materially reduced. As seen in FIG. 12, the cover 23' of article 21 is provided with a laterally extending tongue T, which may overlie the top of a post 31 or 31'.

When trays 20, loaded with articles 21', are arranged in stacked relation, the depending ribs or projections 37, 38 and 41 formed on the underside of the upper tray will engage each article flange 25 at a plurality of symmetrically arranged positions thereby uniformly distributing the load over the whole flange.

Thus, when utilizing the tray 20 with either type of article 21 or 21, the latter is protected against possible damage during handling and is arranged in a convenient position for removal from the tray. The trays 20 are inexpensive to produce and are imperforate; thus, in the event there should be a rupture or break in one of the articles, the contents thereof will tend to be confined in one of the pockets and not soil the adjacent articles and those positioned therebeneath.

We claim:

1. A molded tray for accommodating a plurality of articles, comprising a plane of reference; shallow pockets depending from said plane of reference and arranged in a plurality of spaced rows; hollow posts extending upwardly from said plane of reference a substantially greater distance than said pockets depend from said plane, said posts being arranged in substantially delimiting relation with respect to but spaced from the upper extremities of said pockets and forming a plurality of plateaus symmetrically arranged with respect to the upper extremities of each pocket; a marginal flange delimiting said posts and rows of pockets; a plurality of relatively spaced projections depending from said flange, said projections terminating at a second plane which includes and is common to the undersides of said pockets; and a plurality of second projections depending from said plane of reference, said second projections being disposed intermediate said pockets and said posts and terminating at said second plane.

2. The tray of claim 1 wherein said marginal flange defines a third plane which is disposed above the plane of reference.

3. The tray of claim 2 wherein said first mentioned projections depend to a greater extent than said second projections.

4. The tray of claim 1 wherein each of said first mentioned projections extends from the underside of a pocket disposed in an outer row of pockets to the outer edge of the flange.

5. The tray of claim 1 wherein each of the plateaus disposed adjacent to said flange has depending therefrom a third projection which terminates at said second plane.

6. The tray of claim 1 wherein a predetermined number of said posts are provided with reenforcing ribs which depend from the underside of the tops of said posts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

